A Frugal Alternative to the Swiffer WetJet

Of all the things I buy on a regular basis, refills for my Swiffer WetJet were, until two months ago, my most lavish indulgence. In fact, my Swiffer habit was costing me about $10 per month. The problem is, the WetJet is just so darn convenient. Pop on a new mop pad, squeeze the trigger, mop the floor, then toss the pad. Easy peasy. No buckets of mop water, no wringing out mop heads.

A couple of months ago, however, I got a Rubbermaid Reveal mop. It works a lot like the Swiffer but it has reusable pads and you can use your own cleaning solution in the refillable cleaner bottle. The only big difference between the Reveal and the WetJet is that the WetJet has a battery powered trigger action–you squeeze the trigger and a steady stream of cleaner squirts out until you release the trigger. The Reveal has a manual trigger–you pump the trigger once for each squirt, just like a spray bottle. That’s a small difference I can live with, especially considering how frugal it is to use.

But I’m not writing about this mop today just to let you know how great and frugal it is. I also want to sing the praises of the Rubbermaid company. You see, the trigger mechanism on my mop began to stick recently. I would squeeze the trigger and it would squirt but then it wouldn’t immediately return to it’s original position. This made for a frustrating mopping experience.

So I wrote to Rubbermaid to let them know. And you know what? They replaced my mop, just like that. I really appreciate a company that stands by its product that way. That’s an ethical way to do business and I have the utmost respect for them now. So if you love your Swiffer WetJet but hate paying for the costly refills, give the Rubbermaid Reveal a spin. You’ll be getting a good mop and supporting a company that stands by its product.